Capcom CPS2 emulator pulled from Android Market

The Android Market is slowly shedding its Wild West image as Google cleans up the smartphone’s storefront, chucking out copyright infringing Tetris clones and removing useless apps, remotely, from users' phones.

The latest app to be removed is an emulator for Capcom’s CPS2 Arcade board, first used for Super Street Fighter II and subsequently harnessed for tons of the company’s arcade games up until 2003.

Alongside some naughty ROM images, the app would let users play games like Puzzle Fighter and Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters right there on your Android blower. A short period later, though, and the app has been ditched from the store.

On his blog, the emulator’s developer wrote “Capcom complained for their copyright infringement”, and while he’s not optimistic, he will try and counter the claim. Emulators are tricky legal subjects, as the ROMs are traditionally seen as the source of piracy, and without them the emulator breaks no laws.

Currently, there are emulators for many consoles on the Android Market, including NES, Game Boy Advance, and SNES based apps.

The developer is still providing the download on his website, and is urging people to donate some dosh for the privilege. He also writes “for those who purchased the app already, I'll continue supporting the app.”